The Preaching of John the Baptist^(A)

3 At that time John the Baptist came to the desert of Judea and started preaching. ^2 (B)“Turn away from your sins,” he said, “because the Kingdom of heaven is near!” ^3 (C)John was the man the prophet Isaiah was talking about when he said,

^4 (D)John's clothes were made of camel's hair; he wore a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵ People came to him from Jerusalem, from the whole province of Judea, and from all over the country near the Jordan River. ⁶ They confessed their sins, and he baptized them in the Jordan.

^7 (E)When John saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to him to be baptized, he said to them, “You snakes—who told you that you could escape from the punishment God is about to send? ⁸ Do those things that will show that you have turned from your sins. ^9 (F)And don't think you can escape punishment by saying that Abraham is your ancestor. I tell you that God can take these rocks and make descendants for Abraham! ^10 (G)The ax is ready to cut down the trees at the roots; every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown in the fire. ¹¹ I baptize you with water to show that you have repented, but the one who will come after me will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. He is much greater than I am; and I am not good enough even to carry his sandals. ^12 (H)He has his winnowing shovel with him to thresh out all the grain. He will gather his wheat into his barn, but he will burn the chaff in a fire that never goes out.”

The Preaching of John the Baptist^(A)

1 This is the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.^{[a] 2 (B)}It began as the prophet Isaiah had written:

⁴ So John appeared in the desert, baptizing and preaching.^[b] “Turn away from your sins and be baptized,” he told the people, “and God will forgive your sins.” ⁵ Many people from the province of Judea and the city of Jerusalem went out to hear John. They confessed their sins, and he baptized them in the Jordan River.

^6 (D)John wore clothes made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁷ He announced to the people, “The man who will come after me is much greater than I am. I am not good enough even to bend down and untie his sandals. ⁸ I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

John the Baptist's Message^(A)

¹⁹ The Jewish authorities in Jerusalem sent some priests and Levites to John to ask him, “Who are you?”

²⁰ John did not refuse to answer, but spoke out openly and clearly, saying: “I am not the Messiah.”

^21 (B)“Who are you, then?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?”

“No, I am not,” John answered.

“Are you the Prophet?”^[a] they asked.

“No,” he replied.

²² “Then tell us who you are,” they said. “We have to take an answer back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

^23 (C)John answered by quoting the prophet Isaiah:

²⁴ The messengers, who had been sent by the Pharisees, ²⁵ then^[b] asked John, “If you are not the Messiah nor Elijah nor the Prophet, why do you baptize?”

²⁶ John answered, “I baptize with water, but among you stands the one you do not know. ²⁷ He is coming after me, but I am not good enough even to untie his sandals.”

²⁸ All this happened in Bethany on the east side of the Jordan River, where John was baptizing.